Playset removal means taking apart a backyard swing set, climbing frame or wooden fort, hauling every piece away, and leaving the yard safe to use. Most of the work is in the teardown and the footings, not the hauling. You can do it yourself over a weekend if the set is small and metal. A large wooden fort with a deck, slide and buried anchors is a different job, and a junk removal crew is usually the faster and safer route. Below you will find how the job goes step by step, what drives the price, and how we handle it at Pinky’s in Hampton Roads, VA and Berks County, PA.
TL;DR
- A small metal swing set can often be unbolted and hauled in an afternoon. A big wooden playset with a deck, slide and buried footings is a multi-person job.
- Price depends on how much the set fills a truck, how heavy the material is, and whether anyone has to disassemble it first.
- Older wood may be CCA-treated (it contains arsenic), so wear a dust mask and goggles when cutting it and wash your hands afterward.
- Ask about footings and anchors before you book, because they decide how much yard repair you will have.
- At Pinky’s, pricing is upfront: volume-based truck pricing from $164 to $698, and a crew that can do the teardown and haul in one visit.
Table of Contents
- What playset removal actually includes
- When it is time to remove a playset instead of repairing it
- How to take down a swing set or playset yourself
- Footings, anchors and the yard underneath
- How to get rid of an old playset: your options
- What affects playset removal cost
- How we price playset removal at Pinky’s
- Who calls us for playset removal
- Perspective: what we see in the yard
- Before you book: a short checklist
- FAQ
- Sources
What playset removal actually includes
A complete removal has five parts, and it helps to know which ones you are paying for.
- Teardown. Swings, chains, slides, rock walls, canopies and the deck are removed first, then the frame comes apart.
- Cutting. Wooden beams are often too long and too heavy to move whole. They get unbolted where possible and cut where not.
- Footings and anchors. Ground stakes, auger anchors or concrete footings are pulled or cut off below the surface.
- Hauling. Everything is carried to the truck, usually across a lawn and through a side gate.
- Disposal. Metal goes to recycling when possible. Wood, plastic slides and rotted decking go to the appropriate facility.
Some companies only haul what you have already taken apart and stacked at the curb. Others do the teardown too. When you compare quotes, ask which one you are getting, because the labor behind it is the difference between a low number and a final bill.
When it is time to remove a playset instead of repairing it
Not every worn set needs to go. A loose bolt, a frayed swing chain or a cracked seat is a cheap fix. These are signs the whole structure has run its course:
- Soft or rotting posts. If a screwdriver sinks into wood at ground level, the set is no longer carrying load safely.
- Splintering or cracked beams that have been patched more than once.
- Wobble in the frame that tightening hardware does not cure.
- Kids who have outgrown it. A playset for toddlers is not what a ten-year-old will use, and an unused set becomes a wasp nest and a trip hazard.
- A sale or move. Buyers often do not want a tired structure on the lot, and listing agents regularly ask sellers to clear it before photos.
- A rental turnover. Landlords and property managers sometimes inherit a set a former tenant left behind.
If you are unsure whether the set is worth keeping, a quick look at the post bases and the deck boards tells you most of what you need.
How to take down a swing set or playset yourself
If you want to do it yourself, work in a sensible order and do not rush the last stage, when the frame is least stable.
Gather the tools and a helper
You will need a socket set, an adjustable wrench, a drill or impact driver, a pry bar, a reciprocating saw with wood and metal blades, work gloves, safety glasses and a dust mask. Do not do the frame alone. Pieces shift as bolts come out, and a second person keeps beams from dropping.
Work from the top down
Remove the swings, trapeze bars, canopy, slide and any accessories. Then take off the deck boards, railings and roof panels. Keep the frame standing as long as possible so it stays braced while you work. Photograph the assembly first if you ever want to rebuild or sell the parts.
Handle treated wood with care
Older wooden sets may be built from chromated copper arsenate (CCA) lumber. The CPSC’s outdoor playground safety handbook notes that CCA-treated wood has not been processed for residential use since December 31, 2003, and that CCA contains arsenic. A set built before that date, or a set of unknown age, deserves caution. The EPA’s guidance on CCA says to wear goggles and a dust mask when sawing this wood and to wash your hands after handling it. The same page says the EPA does not require removal of existing CCA structures, so the choice to keep or remove one is yours.
Practical rules that follow from that:
- Cut outdoors and sweep up sawdust rather than leaving it in the grass.
- Do not burn treated wood.
- Do not saw it in a closed garage.
- Keep children and pets away from the cutting area until it is cleaned up.
- If you have a health concern about exposure, ask your doctor or your local health department.
Pull the frame down
When the upper parts are off, unbolt the A-frame legs or the main posts. For taller frames, have your helper brace the beam while you remove the last fasteners, then lower it to the ground rather than letting it fall. Cut long beams into lengths you can carry through a gate.
Footings, anchors and the yard underneath
This is the part that surprises people. The visible structure is only half of what the previous owner or installer put in the ground.
There are three common setups:
| Anchoring type | What it looks like | Removal effort |
|---|---|---|
| Ground stakes or auger anchors | Metal spirals or stakes with straps at the legs | Low: unscrew or pull, fill the small hole |
| Posts set directly in soil | Wood legs buried a foot or more | Medium: dig around, rock free, backfill |
| Concrete footings | Posts embedded in poured concrete | High: dig out or cut posts at grade |
A professional write-up on anchoring from Bounce & Bolt points out that ground stakes let a set be moved later, unlike concrete footings, and that CPSC guidance says equipment may need anchors to prevent tipping, which should be buried or covered in use. In plain terms: if the set has concrete, expect more digging.
Do concrete footings have to come out?
Not always. If the posts are cut flush with the ground and the concrete sits well below the surface, many homeowners simply cover it with soil and reseed. Pulling a footing can leave a hole two feet across and nearly as deep. If you plan to build a garden bed, a patio or a new set in the same spot, take them out. If you are just going back to lawn, cutting below grade and covering is often enough. Call 811 before digging deep, since the free service marks buried utility lines.
Protect the lawn
A playset usually sits on mulch, wood chips or compacted dirt. Here is how to keep the damage small:
- Lay plywood sheets or boards on the path the crew or your wheelbarrow will take.
- Rake the mulch aside and bag it before the frame comes down.
- Fill holes with topsoil in layers and tamp each one.
- Rake the bare patch level, seed and water it. In our part of Virginia and Pennsylvania, early fall and spring are the best times for cool-season grass seed.
- Expect a worn, discolored rectangle for a season. Grass that has been shaded for years takes time to catch up.
How to get rid of an old playset: your options
Once it is in pieces, or even before, you have a few routes.
Sell or give it away. A sturdy set in good shape can go to a neighbor, a daycare or a church if they will disassemble and haul it. If the wood is soft or the hardware is rusted through, do not hand a hazard to another family.
Scrap the metal. Steel frames can go to a scrap yard. Check hours and rules before loading the truck.
Use municipal bulk pickup. Many cities and counties collect large items, but with rules. As one example, Montgomery County, Maryland requires extremely large bulk items such as backyard play sets to be taken apart so at least one side is under 4 feet wide, and its pickup must be scheduled in advance. Your own city will have its own limits on size, weight and how many items per visit, so check with your public works department first. In Reading, for example, we cover the one-item-a-week limit in our guide on Reading bulk pickup.
Haul it yourself. You can rent a truck or borrow a trailer and take it to a transfer station. Count the dump fees, the fuel, the loading time and your Saturday. A full wooden playset can be several truckloads.
Hire a junk removal crew. For most households with a large or wooden set, this is the least stressful path: one visit, the crew does the lifting, and you pay a number you were quoted.
What affects playset removal cost
Prices vary by region and by company, and no single national number fits every yard. These are the factors that move a quote up or down:
- Size and volume. A two-swing metal frame takes up a fraction of a truck. A fort with a deck, slide, sandbox and rock wall can fill most of one.
- Material and weight. Wood is heavier and harder to cut and carry than hollow steel or plastic.
- Disassembly. Still-standing sets need labor. Sets already in pieces at the curb cost less to move.
- Access. A flat yard with a wide gate is easier than a sloped lot with stairs or a narrow side path.
- Footings. Digging out concrete adds time.
- Extras. Tube slides, trampolines, sandboxes and playhouses on the same lot add volume.
- Distance and timing. Same-day or next-day service can affect scheduling, so book earlier if you have a sale or move date.
Published figures online run widely, from under $100 for a small metal set to well over $1,000 for a big wooden structure with concrete. That spread is the reason to get a firm quote based on photos or a quick look rather than trusting a national average.
How we price playset removal at Pinky’s
We do not charge a flat “swing set fee” because no two sets are alike. Our pricing is published and built on how much of the truck your job takes up:
| Pricing type | Published range or amount | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Single item pickup | From $48 | One small item, such as a standalone swing or slide |
| Volume pricing | $164 to $698 | Most swing sets and playsets, based on truck space used |
| Bedload pricing | $286 to $698 | Heavy debris, such as concrete footings and dense lumber |
| Labor surcharge | $100 per hour per person | Extra labor beyond the standard job |
Tire surcharges are $15 for a car tire and $30 for a truck tire, which matters if your yard also has an old tractor or tire swing. A tire swing is a common one, and we flag it at quote time so nothing surprises you on the day.
For a typical swing set, the volume price is the one you will see. For a large playset with heavy concrete or a pile of dense debris, bedload pricing may fit better. You get the number before we start. Our promise is a fair price upfront, with no hidden fees.
What a visit looks like
- You send a few photos, or describe the set and where it sits. Tell us about footings, gates and steps.
- We give you a price based on volume or bedload.
- We pick a time. Same-day and next-day slots are often available, and you can use our online pickup scheduling.
- The crew arrives on time, disassembles what is still standing, carries it out and loads the truck.
- We donate or recycle what we can, such as steel frames, and haul the rest to proper disposal.
When you call, a local person answers in Virginia or Pennsylvania, not a national call center.
Who calls us for playset removal
The reasons are usually the same few:
- Families whose kids have grown. The set has not been used in years and nobody wants to take it apart.
- Military families on PCS orders. In the Norfolk area, a family may have a few weeks to clear the house, and a backyard fort is the last thing on the list. Our moving junk removal crews handle the playset along with furniture and the garage.
- Downsizing seniors and their adult children. A set left from grandchildren’s visits often turns up during an estate or downsizing cleanout.
- Sellers and Realtors. Clearing the yard helps the listing photograph well.
- Landlords and property managers. Tenants sometimes leave a set behind, and it needs to go before the next lease starts.
If your set is part of a bigger project, we can include it in a property or apartment cleanout or a renovation debris job, so you book one visit instead of three.
Perspective: what we see in the yard
In our experience, the price of a playset removal is rarely about the swings. It is about what is under and around them. The set that looks small from the back door can have four concrete footings, a rotted deck and a tire swing hung from an oak limb. We would rather ask you three questions on the phone than hand you a surprise on the lawn.
Two habits save people money. First, tell us everything that goes: the sandbox, the playhouse, the trampoline in the corner. Volume is how we price, and one load costs less than two trips. Second, decide ahead of time what you want done with the footings. If the yard is going back to grass, cutting at grade may be fine. If a patio is next, say so and we will plan the labor.
We are a locally owned, family-run company, not a franchise, and we care about where the pieces end up. Steel frames can often be recycled and usable pieces donated, and we do that whenever we can. Old wood is a different story. If it might be CCA-treated, we treat it as such and keep dust to a minimum.
— David
Before you book: a short checklist
- Take photos from the front, back and each side, and one of the base of the posts.
- Note the material: metal, wood, plastic or a mix.
- Check for footings: dig a few inches around a post, or look at the old installation papers.
- Measure the gate and note any steps or slopes.
- Decide whether you need the mulch or wood chips removed too.
- Tell us your deadline, especially for a closing date, lease end or move-out.
- Mention any large extras in the yard that you want gone in the same visit.
If you want it done without lifting a beam, the next step is to schedule a pickup or call 1-800-41-PINKY. We serve Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Hampton and Newport News in Virginia, and Reading, Wyomissing, Sinking Spring and West Lawn in Berks County, Pennsylvania. You can also check what we take if your yard has more than a playset to clear.
FAQ
How much does swing set removal cost?
It depends on size, material, disassembly and footings, and published figures online range from under $100 for a small metal set to well over $1,000 for a large wooden one. At Pinky’s, most sets fall under volume pricing, which runs $164 to $698 based on truck space. Single small items start at $48, and heavy debris such as concrete can fall under bedload pricing of $286 to $698.
Do you need to remove the concrete footings?
Not always. If you are returning the area to lawn, many people cut the posts at ground level and cover the concrete with soil. If you are building a patio, garden bed or new play area on the spot, the footings should come out. Call 811 before any deep digging.
Is old wooden playset lumber dangerous?
Sets built before 2004 may use CCA-treated wood, which contains arsenic. The EPA advises goggles and a dust mask when sawing it and handwashing after handling. Do not burn it, and ask a doctor if you have concerns about exposure.
Can I put a playset out with the regular trash?
Usually not. Most cities treat a playset as a bulk item with size limits, scheduled pickup and a cap on how many items you can set out, and some require it to be taken apart first. Check your local public works rules, or have a junk removal crew haul it so you do not have to wait for a bulk pickup slot.
Will removal damage my lawn?
Some wear is normal, especially where the set has sat for years. Boards laid on the path, careful digging and topsoil with fresh seed keep it minor, and most yards recover within a season.
